Improvement in the process of making hollow metallic axles



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" WlLLlAM A. LEWIS. Improvement in the Process of Making Hollow MetallicAxles. NO 124833. Patented Marehl9,l872.

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Illlllllllllllllll ll l ll l l l l l- `W|| MMv Al EW|5 2shee ts`-Sheer2,Improvement in the Process of Making Hollow Metallic Axles. No. 124,833.F1610- Patenfedwimh19,1872.

- sections of an axle.

-WILLIAM ARNOLD LEWIs, OIr CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOn 'ro HOLLOW AXLEMANUFACTURING COMPANY,77 OF MISHAWAKA, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING HOLLOW METALLIC AXLES.

Specification forming part of Letters ,Patent No. 124,833, datedMarch19, 1872.

Specication describing an Improved`-Process for the Manufacture ofHollow Metallic Axles, invented by WILLIAM ARNOLD LEWIS, of Chicago, inthe State of Illinois.

This invention is especially adapted for the production of hollowr axlesof large size. The process is as follows: Plates or heavy sheets ofwrought-iron or steel are rolled with parallel sides and of properdimensions to allow of cutting from each of said plates one or moreblanks, which may be afterwards bent into the In the act of rolling theaforesaid plates the proper increase of thickness may be imparted atpoints where the journals are to be made. The plates having been thusrolled, are next cut into lengths for axles, and then stamped out intoproper outline, so that when bent into concavo-convex or segmental formthey may be Welded together in pairsto make complete axles.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side or edge view of a plateor bar adapted for the production of three lengths of axlesectionblanks. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation ofportions of a pair Of rolls adapted for the rolling of a bar, such asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same at a:Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan on a larger scale of a single length cut foroneaxle-section blank. Fig. 6 is a side or edge view thereof. Fig. 7 is aplan of a flat blank cut, in readiness for bonding into an axle-section.Fig. 8 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 9 is avertical section of partsof the cutting apparatus employed to produce a flat blank, such as shownin Fig. 7, from a bar, .such as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a plan of ablank swaged into concaVo-convex form preparatory to being Welded toanother of corresponding form to make a complete hollow axle. Fig. 11 isa .transverse section at y y, Fig. l0. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectionalview of a pair of swaging-dies and their accessories, which may beemployed to form the blank shown in Figs. 10 and l1. Fig. 13 is ahorizontal section of theA same, showing a plan of the lower die. Fig.14 is a sectional View of a part of the furnace, and of the dies bymeans of which the axle-sections are welded together in pairs. Fig. 15is an elevation of a finished axle. Y

. therolls B B.

General Description.

A represents a bar, produced of any desired length and width by passingbetween The bar A may be made of uniform Width and of unequal thickness,a a, a being thick portions where the arms or journals are to be'formed.These inequalities in thickness are produced by the varying depth of thegroove b in one or both of the rolls, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.The bar shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted for the production of threeaxle-sections. It is severed at the thickest parts a a a, and each ofthese separate pieces is then cut into a blank of proper shape, asillustrated in Fig. 7. This cutting is performed by a shear or punch,such as shown in Fig. 9, or by other appropriate mechanism. By suchmeans the severing and shaping of the blanks may be performed at oneoperation, either from bars of single width, as illustrated in Figs. 2and 5, or from extended sheets, from the width of which a number ofblanks may be cut. In Figs. 7 and 8,1 1 represent the portions which areto form the axle-arms or journals; 2 2,`the projecting parts, which areto constitute the collars; 3 3, the extremities, on which are to becutthe screw-threads to receive the nuts; and 4 5, upward enlargements,which impart great strength to the axle, and take .the place of theWooden stock used with axles of common form. The recesses to receive thehounds may be formed iu the projections 4 4; and that to receive thereach or perch in the centra-l projections V5, either in the first cut-Yting of the blank, or entirely during the nalwelding and swagingprocess. The flat blanks thus formed are next bent into halfoval formwith flat edges, substantially as shown in Figs. 10 and l1. This may beeffected by heating the at blank in any suitable furnace-such, forexample, as that shown in Fig. l-and then placing them between dies,Fig. l2, which dies being actuated by levers or by a drop instantlyimpart to the blank the shape shown in Figs. 10 and 11. A pairvof suchblanks, secured face to face, are then placed within the furnace F, and,without being removed from the heat of the said furnace, are placedbetween welding and swaging dies D, which are so formed as to impart theproper contour to the nished axle. Axles of large size are made ofelliptical cross-sec' tion to impart greater vertical strength.

My invention in this case is not e Wholly nenr process ofmeking hollowmetallic a-Xles, but is zin improvement on the processes heretoforepracticed, the improvement being the rolling of the plate to irregularthicknesses; the cutting of the sections from scid plate; an d theswagng of those sections in dies, all as described end shown; thesubsequent operation required to complete the axle being the sinneWitnesses R. C. AVERY, WM. H. D. BARR.

